The embodiments described herein generally relate to processing pre-printed documents and more particularly to a system and method for coating pre-printed documents.
As explained in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0285918 (the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) inks suited for use in printing magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) readable documents are known. Such inks are generally employed in the printing and preparation of documents intended for automated processing, such as checks.
Of particular interest in this instance are those inks which contain a magnetic pigment or component in an amount sufficient to generate a magnetic signal that is strong enough to be MICR-readable. Such inks generally fall into the category of magnetic inks in general, and in the more specific sub-category of MICR-readable inks. Generally, the ink is used to print a portion of a document, such as a check, bond, security card, etc. containing an identification code area, which is intended for automated processing. The characters of this identification code are usually MICR encoded. The document may be printed with a combination of MICR-readable ink and non-MICR-readable ink, or with just MICR-readable ink. The document thus printed is then exposed to an appropriate source or field of magnetization, at which time the magnetic particles become aligned as they accept and retain a magnetic signal. The identification code on the document can then be recognized by passing it through a reader device that detects or reads the magnetic signal of the MICR imprinted characters in order to recognize the coding printed on the document.
Of particular importance in the foregoing is the ability of the printed characters to adhere to the sheet and thus retain their readable characteristic such that they are easily detected by the detection device or reader. The magnetic charge, known as “remanence,” also must be retained by the pigment or magnetic component.
In some situations, magnetic thermal transfer ribbon printing mechanisms are used to generate MICR-readable characters or indicia. In this printing technique, the magnetic component is retained on a ribbon substrate by a binder and/or wax material. Then, upon application of heat and pressure, the magnetic component is transferred to a substrate. Other details regarding thermal ribbon printing technology are discussed in detail in U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0137203, the entire contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,622 discloses a coated cellulosic web product and a coating composition that provides enhanced toner adhesion for documents printed using noncontact printing devices such as ion deposition printers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,593 discloses a bank check with at least two coatings, one of which is electrically conductive, and the other which is electrically non-conductive. In some cases, a MICR ink is applied as an additional coating.
It would be useful to develop a method of conditioning documents to receive and retain MICR encoded inks.